


Guide Me

by SmolSam



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Anxiety, Blackwatch Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Blind Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Blood and Violence, Body Horror (mild), Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gabe regrets everything lol, Gabriel makes a really bad decision, Heavy Angst, Insecurity, Jack pretty much gets his whole face fucked up, M/M, Moicy if you squint hard enough, Monster Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Overwatch - Freeform, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Slow Burn, Strike-Commander Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Strike-Commander Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Team Talon (Overwatch), This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Transformation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-03-28 21:19:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13912410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmolSam/pseuds/SmolSam
Summary: The Omnic Crisis is over. Overwatch is still running and Jack Morrison is the Strike Commander.Strange activity is reported at a watchtower near their headquarters in Zürich, Switzerland and Jack decides to take matters into his own hands and investigate.Gabriel Reyes' tension with Jack only grows stronger as time passes. When disaster strikes and the lead commander is cursed with an irreversible injury; Gabe finally gets what he wanted.But is it really worth someone else's life?





	1. Detection

“Commander Morrison! Sir,” an impatient, but a chipper voice called out from behind the man who was briskly walking down the white-tiled hallway, “I think this information would be very important to you!”

Jack stopped but remained silent for a few moments. Lena Oxton. She was quite the handful to maintain and keep track of. It felt like only yesterday when Lena was introduced to the team. She had been saved by Winston, one of Overwatch’s greatest scientists, from drifting through time. Although the Slipstream aircraft hadn’t been a complete failure, as it awakened one of the best soldiers Jack had ever met in his career, it changed Lena’s life forever. 

“Yes, Oxton?” He took a steady breath and turned on his heel to face the British woman. She presented the Strike Commander with a firm gaze while her back was positioned straight and shoulders still. 

“Reports have come in from the watchtower nearby. There’s been a detection of activity,” Lena reported whilst keeping eye contact. Jack held back a grumble. The watchtower that was operated nearby their headquarters in Zürich had been shut down and abandoned ever since the Omnic Crisis. There weren’t any Overwatch members stationed there, so it obviously wasn’t a good sign. 

“And who told you this?”

“Commander Reyes, sir.”

This time, he didn’t hold back the snort of amusement and slight annoyance. The other commander was never a talker, but sending a messenger was just ridiculous. Reyes definitely needed to let some walls down. Being the Blackwatch Commander, he was already being accused of secrecy and hiding away wasn’t helping.  
Lena raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. 

“.. Thank you. If you’ll tell Amari that I want supervision over that watchtower, that’d be appreciated,” Morrison responded after clearing his throat. Of course, it wasn’t a request. It was an order and Lena knew this. 

“Yes sir!”  
As quick as she had come, Lena “Tracer” Oxton was gone, leaving Jack alone in the quiet hallway. Sighing, he took a left turn at an intersection and headed towards the public cafeteria. Maybe Reyes would be at lunch with some of his agents. He began to drift into a deeper mindset. Who could possibly be at an abandoned watchtower? Stray omnics, maybe. Jack was thrown from his train of thought once he entered the cafeteria. It was relatively quiet, which was relieving. His blue eyes scanned over the lunchroom, searching for the Blackwatch Commander. A familiar voice called out from his left, “Jackie. Over here.”  
From the use of the nickname, the Strike Commander immediately knew the voice belonged to Gabriel Reyes. He was the only one who called him that and got away with it. Jack gave a small smile as he was waved over to the table in the corner of the lunchroom. He ignored the fact that his heart had fluttered at the nickname and sat down in a chair next to Gabriel. Whenever the two were together, they were inseparable. Gabriel and Jack were the best of friends, ever since they were chosen for the Soldier Enhancement Program a few years back. Jack had stayed by Gabe’s bedside every time the other had fallen ill. The medicine and harsh training often got too rough to handle. In combat, they were practically unstoppable. Quite literally being super soldiers, they also could communicate and work together in a way that was unimaginable. 

“Hey, Reyes.”

The other barked out a laugh. It was sharp but softened towards the end. Jack loved that laugh. It was comforting to his ears, which were now burning a soft red. 

“Why so formal, Morrison?” Gabriel mocked, offering a sharp-toothed smile as he rested his chin in his hand. Jack snorted and kicked him playfully from under the table, landing a hit on his shin. Gabe winced and muttered a curse under his breath. 

“Lena told me there was activity spotted at the watchtower nearby. I’m guessing Blackwatch is involved in this somehow,” Jack’s tone was a bit sour and grew more serious. He never approved of the undercover black ops running in the shadow of Overwatch.  
Gabriel’s grin morphed into a slight scowl. “What makes you think Blackwatch has anything to do with it? None of my agents are even near that area.”  
“Then could it be Omnics?” Jack’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand why they would mess around near a broken down watchtower, though. It hasn’t seen life ever since the Crisis.” 

“Or perhaps a stray rebel fighter taking shelter,” Gabe suggested and took a sip of his coffee. Jack wrinkled his nose in disgust. The other man had always preferred his coffee black with no sugar or creamer. He, on the other hand, liked his coffee sweet and sugary to the point it was barely coffee.  
“Whatever it is, I should investigate it,” the Strike Commander concluded. Reyes narrowed his dark eyes at Jack, searching his bright eyes for any trace of fear. Jack practically radiated with determination and optimism. He was infectious. 

“Are you suggesting that you’re going in, Sunshine?” Gabriel said slowly, arching an eyebrow. The pale scars on his face moved with every twist and turn of his expressions. “By yourself?”  
Jack willed the blush to leave his cheeks and his ears. He swore he saw the corners of Gabe’s lips quirk up in amusement. “Y-Yeah... Yes, of course. Why shouldn’t I? I’m perfectly capable of handling this situation, Gabriel. I’m sure I can take out an Omnic or two by myself.” 

The other sighed. “I get it. You’re on your high horse. Time to get off, _cariño_. I can’t afford you getting hurt. You are the Strike Commander, after all. If Overwatch was to lose their leader, the UN would definitely intervene and you know that.” 

Jack bit down on his lip and mulled over his thoughts for a moment. “I know.. I just feel as if I need to contribute to this organization. Not sitting back in a chair and giving orders. I need to be on the frontlines, fighting with my team. I didn’t go through the SEP for nothing, Gabe.” 

The other commander merely grunted. “Yeah, neither did I. But that doesn’t mean you can be reckless. You aren’t immortal.” 

“I’ve already made up my mind,” Jack barked firmly, looking Gabriel directly in the eyes. 

“Then let me come with you,” he replied with a monotone. 

Jack’s eyes widened. “What? No! Absolutely not!” 

Gabriel grinned at him. “You aren’t in charge of me, Morrison. Not anymore at least. I can do what I please. I’m going with you.” 

There was no point in arguing any further. Once Gabriel had made up his mind, it was unlikely to change. He let out a huff and rubbed the back of his neck frustratedly. 

“When should we depart?” Reyes spoke again after knocking back the rest of his coffee. Jack absently nodded, not really paying attention. He was too focused on the scars littering the man sitting beside him to even register his words. The contrast between Gabriel’s dark skin and the pale scratches made Jack wince. No one deserved to have such harsh reminders of their past. 

Gabe seemed to not even acknowledge his scarred body. War had struck down on him hard, but he kept pushing forward. Luckily, they hadn’t suffered any major injuries unlike a few agents from Overwatch and Blackwatch. Genji Shimada was one of these men. He was probably in the worst condition Jack had ever seen a human in upon arriving at Zürich. The lead doctor and surgeon, Angela Ziegler, saved his life by building him back together. 

Genji was not happy with his body, but he was alive. He felt distraught and out of place, as most of his body was robotic and inhuman. Jack knew the younger male was heading off to Nepal soon to settle down with a group of peaceful monks in hopes of coming to terms with his new state. Angela made sure to excuse his leave as a medical absence. 

Jack was snapped out of his thoughts when a warm hand gently rested over his own on top of the table. 

“Jack? Are you alright?” Gabriel tilted his head, concern masking his face. 

The Strike Commander hesitated and shifted his gaze to where Gabe’s hand was atop of his. 

“Uh.. yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. I was just… _distracted_ ,” he stammered, immediately looking the other direction. 

Gabriel’s frown shifted into a toothy smirk and gazed at Jack with amusement. He withdrew his hand, pleased with the reaction he received. It was fun to poke at the other male. He got flustered way too easily. 

“I had asked you a question,” he leaned forward, still grinning. Jack knew his entire face was flushed red, but responded regardless. 

“I.. We’ll leave tomorrow morning. I want Ana to make sure the security system is strengthened by the time we leave.” 

“Very well. Tomorrow morning,” Gabriel cleared his throat and rose to his feet. He picked up his cup and made his way to the exit doors of the cafeteria. 

Jack watched as he left, biting down on his bottom lip. Oh man, he was in the deep end without a doubt. He was drowning and struggling to breathe. Over the years, Jack and Gabriel had grown closer. Jack had gotten too close. 

He allowed himself to fall in love. 

That was his number one rule: Never fall in love. But here he was, head over heels for his best friend and second-in-command.

Jack Morrison was totally, utterly, and royally fucked.


	2. Jealousy is Blinding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a comment if you have any suggestions/ideas/or just feedback in general! 
> 
> my instagram: @smolsam

Gabriel was jealous. He was supposed to be the leader of Overwatch, not Jack. Although these thoughts were greedy and rude, it didn’t stop him from thinking about them. 

Envious, he had been granted the role of Blackwatch. Gabe hated it.  
It was a shadow of Overwatch. He was a shadow of Jack. 

Gabriel Reyes could never compete with that golden boy. Every single person loved him and supported him. Meanwhile, he was rotting away in his quarters and wishing he was Strike Commander and not Jack. 

But those weren’t even the worst parts. It wasn’t the fact that Jack and Gabe were close friends that made him sick. It wasn’t that Jack was a horrible person, either. He was far from it. 

Commander Reyes had fallen in love with his best friend and arch nemesis. His heart was blazing with envy, jealousy, and longing. He would love and support Jack no matter the situation, but he deserved that position. 

It made him sick. Gabriel would slam his head against the wall at night as many times as he could, to drive the thoughts of Jack out of his mind. Of course, it wouldn’t work. The jealousy clung to him like a cloak; it was a cloak that was eating away at his very soul. 

Nothing could rid him of this guilt that rested on his shoulders. 

Every time Gabe saw Jack, a part of him wanted to lunge forward and kiss him until he couldn’t breathe, and the other half wanted him to push him down a flight of stairs. Both were extremely tempting. 

By the time Jack knocked on his door the next morning, Gabriel was already suited up and armed. 

Morrison stood there with an assertive smile and a glint in his brilliant blue eyes. They were almost like whirlpools; the risk of getting lost in them was dangerously high. Gabriel offered a grunt in greeting and shut the door behind them. 

“Someone hasn’t had their coffee,” the blond teased, following Gabe as he took off down the hallway. 

“Fuck off, Boy Scout.” 

A fit of snickers came from the Strike Commander and Gabriel held back a chuckle of his own. This man was infectious, most definitely. 

“Has Ana given an update on the security status?” Jack was quick to shift the conversation, taking on a more serious demeanor. 

Gabriel hummed in response. “Mmm. It’s superior. We should be fine while we’re gone. The entire unit will be on lockdown and Winston’s shields will be activated. Any fool to try and break in will be dead on the spot.” 

“Lovely,” Jack muttered. 

He pushed open the exit doors after swiping his keycard for verification. The cool breeze of autumn wafted over Gabriel, sending a chill down his spine. Jack also seemed to shiver from underneath his uniform but said nothing. 

“Are we walking on foot?” the blond questioned, not appearing to be too happy about it. 

“Awh, is Jackie too fragile to walk a few miles?” Gabriel teased. He received a well-deserved punch in the shoulder. 

“Shut it, Reyes.” 

The two walked on in comfortable silence, trained on their destination. Using a vehicle would be too noisy and most likely alert whatever was inside the watchtower. The sun was high in the sky and beat down onto Gabriel’s back and shoulders. The black and grey uniform didn’t help with the heat, but his body could withstand temperatures a normal human could not.  
Gabe hoped it had been a false alarm. He really did not want to deal with a stray Omnic or two of them. 

Soon, the two were only a few feet away from the watchtower. The air was ominous, heavy, and Jack felt like he was struggling to breathe. Gabe shared the same feeling but didn't say a word. They just gazed at each other and nodded quietly in understanding. Tensing up, Jack took the first few steps forward. It was too quiet. 

The Strike Commander glanced back at the other commander. “I’ll stay on the ground floor. You go upstairs,” he ordered. Gabriel nodded and carefully made his way to the ladder that was situated on the flank of the tower. He watched as the blond disappeared inside the main building. 

Gabe gripped the first step and hauled himself up, going slowly and carefully. He kept his ears open for any sound of intruders or Omnics. The air was still around him as he clambered up on top of the deck of the tower. It was a viewing platform. He could see the tiny dot of their headquarters in the distance, but other than that, there was nothing in sight. Gabriel sighed and inspected the platform closer, looking for anything that could be suspicious. 

The ear-piercing sound came too soon. Gabriel let out a shriek of surprise when the tower shook violently beneath his feet. He almost fell over and lost his footing. Gabe latched onto the railing of the platform, his ears ringing. It was obvious that an explosive had gone off below him. 

_Jackie..._

Yelling, Gabe scrambled down the later as quickly as he could. He misplaced his foot on one of the last steps and lost his balance. Pain shot up through his leg when he landed awkwardly on his feet. He noted mentally that his ankle was probably twisted or sprained. Shaking the worry aside, he ignored the injury and limped through the doorway.  
“ _Jack!_ Where are you?!” Gabe shouted, pushing his way into the watchtower. Debris was scattered everywhere and the tower trembled; it was about to collapse at any moment. Smoke clouded his vision and he broke out into a fit of coughing and hacking. His throat and eyes stung, but he couldn't leave without Morrison. 

Gabriel heard a small whimper and his heart caught in his throat.  
“Jack! Jack, where are you?!” He tried to follow where he had heard the sound, lifting heavy objects, like cabinets, out of his way. 

Lying a few feet in front of him, Jack was sprawled out on the concrete floor; the male was completely still. Gabriel choked on his own breath and immediately crouched down next to him. He carefully placed a hand on the other’s throat, pleading silently for a pulse. 

“Gabriel…” A hoarse whisper came from Jack’s bloodied lips; fear was laced with his shaky tone. 

“You _idiot_. You’re lucky you’re alive,” Gabe gently lifted him up and wrapped his arms around the wounded commander. Smoke and the strong stench of copper were the only things that the two could smell. Jack was wheezing and struggling to breathe. He could tell that every breath Jack took sent shockwaves of agony through his body.  
Gabriel tensed when he felt something wet and sticky touch the side of his neck, where Jack’s face was resting on his shoulder. 

Whatever it was, it began to trail down his neck and drip onto his collar of his jacket. Gabriel’s eyes fell to where it stained the material of his uniform and he recognized the dark color of fresh blood. He was afraid to face Jack; he was afraid of the result the explosive left on the other male. 

Before he could lean back and gaze at the injured man, he had spoken in a frail voice,  
“Gabe..”

“I can’t see anything.”


	3. Deprivation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> : >>>  
> let me know how you like it so far! <3  
> sorry its kinda short, chapters are based on the scene that is taking place and this one ended quite abruptly. time skip ^^;;
> 
> my instagram: @smolsam

Gabriel couldn’t tell which was worse: the four cursed words that sent chills down his spine or Jack bleeding out against him. His hands trembled and shook as he struggled to grip onto Jack.

“W-What?” Gabe’s voice was dry and raw from breathing in the smoky air. He could feel the other man wheeze against him when taking a raspy breath. 

“I… I can’t see. Gabriel, I can’t open my eyes!” Panic was evident in his voice; Jack was practically sobbing and wheezing for air now.

“Jack, calm down. Look… Look at me,” he answered in a low and hushed tone, turning the other male towards him. Gabe held the wounded commander’s face delicately in his hands as if Jack were to shatter at any moment like glass.

Gabriel swore his heart stopped for a full minute when his eyes rested on Jack’s face. His eyes were shut tightly in pain and there was so much blood that Gabe couldn’t even tell where the opening to the wounds was.

“Jackie. Breathe. I’m right here, I’m here. I’m gonna get you back to Angela as quick as possible, okay?” he had to force himself not to tremble or stutter. Gabe didn’t want Jack getting more nervous and worked up.

“Okay, Gabi.”

The Blackwatch Commander faltered at the nickname. His stomach flipped and his head spun for a few moments. That nickname hadn’t been used in ages. The last time Jack had ever called him Gabi was at the ceremony where Jack was promoted to Strike Commander. A smile crept its’ way onto his lips and stayed there for a while. Gabriel gently grabbed Jack’s shaking hand and captured it in his own. 

“I’m right here,” he whispered softly. 

Silence blanketed the two, shrouding them in a warm cloud of mutual company and protection. Gabriel soon realized that the smoke was only worsening Jack’s condition and he needed to get to the medical bay as soon as possible. The pit of his stomach wrenched at the thought of his best friend … No. Gabriel couldn’t think like that. Jack wasn’t going to die. Not on his watch, that’s for damn sure. 

Clicking a small button on his earpiece, Gabriel had connected to the main voice channel which alerted every member of Overwatch. He didn’t have time to switch through all the channels, but he didn’t want to exploit Jack’s privacy either. 

Breathless, he gasped into the earpiece, “Dr. Ziegler… I… We need help. Morrison is badly-” Gabe cut off into a violent coughing fit which caused his entire body to rattle like an empty can. “... Morrison is seriously injured. I-I… I don’t know far I’ll get to the base until I pass out.”

Exhausted by just talking, Gabe internally groaned at the thought of carrying Jack back to the base. He wasn’t sure if the line was dead or he couldn’t hear his teammates due to the loud ringing in his ears. Gabe, with a grunt of pain, lifted the blond up onto his back.

“Hold on, _cariño_.” 

Jack slowly responded by wrapping his arms sluggishly around Gabe’s neck and looping his legs around his waist. He then proceeded to bury his face into Gabriel’s shoulder, too numb to speak. 

“Agh!” Gabe let out a loud noise of pain when rising to his feet. He still held onto Jack like his life depended on it, though. He was almost certain his ankle had been twisted the wrong way. It was nothing compared to Jack’s injuries, but it didn’t help his ankle carrying another man on his back for miles in the unforgiving sunlight. 

He trudged out of the watchtower with Jack resting on his back; he winced at the bitter wind nipping at his nose and ears. At this point, the Strike Commander had fallen limp and Gabriel could only hear his ragged breathing next to his ear. Pushing on, Gabriel tried not to think about how his muscles were beginning to give out. His ankle was on fire; it burned from carrying all of his weight plus Jack’s. 

Gabe gritted his teeth and growled in pain when he tripped over his own feet. He crashed to the dirt and Jack came right after him. He murmured an apology to the other wounded man and held him close.

He could feel himself blacking out. He couldn’t leave Jack to _die_. He couldn’t.

Gabriel passed out from exhaustion, his grip on Jack loosening.


	4. Show No Mercy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do yall prefer longer or shorter chapters? shorter chapters mean more frequent updates and longer means less frequent. duh. let me know!  
> enjoy!
> 
> my instagram and youtube: SmolSam

Gabriel woke up with a ruthless headache. The bright lights of the medical bay did not soothe this. His mind was hazy and every inch of his body ached. Miserable, Gabe tried to sit up and inspect his surroundings. A firm, but a petite hand pushed him down again on the flimsy bed he was resting on. Gabriel growled out in annoyance as his eyes adjusted to the light and focused on the person who had touched him.

_Dr. Ziegler_. 

His expression almost immediately softened and he opened his mouth to apologize, but the medic interrupted him.   
“Commander Reyes. It’s quite alright. You’ve been knocked out cold for the past two days, I can understand why you are so grumpy.” 

The statement took him by surprise. “ _Two days_? What in the hell did I do-”  
Oh. 

The brief memories from the watchtower flooded back into his mind and instantly his stomach dropped, remembering Jack.   
“Angela,” he dropped the formalities, just wanting to know where the Strike Commander was and if he was alive, “where is Morrison?” 

Immediately, the doctor’s face grew grim and solemn. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. We were just in time to save his life, but we couldn’t fix everything.” 

Confused, he slowly sat up. This time, Dr. Ziegler didn’t push him back down. “What do you mean? What happened to him?”

Angela bit down nervously on her lip and cast her eyes away from him. “This information is to stay between you and me, Commander. But…”  
Gabe just stared at her and waited for an answer; anxiety was scratching at his very soul and causing him to tremble. 

“Jack has permanently lost his sight.”

Instead of sorrow, rage had bubbled up inside of his chest. Gabriel’s thoughts were a conglomerate of questions, urges, and regrets.   
“What do you mean?! I thought you were a doctor! Doctors are supposed to _fix_ these things!” He shouted, clearly angry. Angela stared back at him with a hurt expression. She almost fought back but decided against it. She sighed softly and just gave Commander Reyes a sad smile. 

“He can’t be. He can’t be blind! Isn’t there anything you can do?” Gabe’s voice had dropped to a whisper. He looked like he was about to break down into tears at any moment. 

Dr. Ziegler bit her lip. She had never seen him like this. Gabriel was a man who didn’t bother with emotions and only handled things as if it were business. But now, things were different. Sitting before her was a man who was splitting at the seams. Deep down, Angela knew that this conversation wouldn’t leave the medical bay. Gabriel may have been an asshole at times to her, but she respected him enough as an officer and a friend to keep his emotional attachment to Morrison a secret. 

“Come with me,” Angela finally spoke after what seemed like years. The sad and small smile remained glued to her lips. 

Gabriel clenched his jaw and got to his feet with a grunt. He followed the young doctor to a side room that branched off from the main medical bay. Upon walking into the dim room, Gabriel could hear only two things: the clicking of Angela’s shoes against the pristine tile and the soft whirr of the air conditioning above their heads. Daylight filtered in through the window which had its blinds drawn. 

He stepped towards the only occupied bed in the room. Jack lay there, motionless. Gabriel couldn’t even tell if he was breathing or not. He was, thankfully, still breathing. A digital display next to the bed was constantly checking Jack’s vitals and heart rate. An IV drip was hooked up to his arm and seemed to be pumping something strange into his blood. Gabe wasn’t going to question Angela’s ways of treatment, though. 

Gabriel’s eyes finally landed on the Strike Commander’s face. He tensed, holding back a noise of shock. 

Although his eyes remained closed, Gabriel knew Jack had definitely gone blind. Long and deep gashes were littering his face, mostly near and on his eyes. There were little burn marks dotting his jawline and cheeks, but Angela had done a pretty good job in nurturing him back to a stable condition.   
"Is there anything you can do, Angela?" he murmured, his dark eyes glimpsing up at her. The doctor took a sharp breath and seemed to mull over the thought.

"I'll talk to Reinhardt and Torbjörn. Perhaps they could help. They are engineers, after all."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes but gave a curt nod. His gaze shifted back to Jack, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully. It gave him an ounce of relief to know that he wasn't dead or in a critical state. "Thank you." 

She smiled and gently placed her hand on Gabe's shoulder. "Of course. Now, you should get some more rest. I'll let you know when he wakes up," Angela promised with a warm tone in her voice. Reluctantly, the Blackwatch Commander departed Jack's bedside and retreated the medical bay. It was late in the day, so not many agents were walking the halls. He swiftly made his way to his room and immediately dove into bed. His bones and muscles practically screamed for rest.

Within minutes, Gabriel had fallen asleep to the sound of the room's lights flickering and the soft buzz of the air conditioning unit.


	5. Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tried to make this one a lil longer : >
> 
> let me know what ya think! <3
> 
>  
> 
> instagram: SmolSam

It had been a full three days until Jack woke up from unconsciousness. When he could feel motion in the tips of his fingers, the middle of his spine, and his parched throat begging for water, he thought he was still dreaming. Jack remained still for a few minutes, just breathing slowly and softly. He carefully moved his hand and touched his other arm. Okay, so he was awake. 

Jack could not see. It wasn’t utter darkness like he had heard so many times before about being blind. It looked as if he was trying to see the back of his head; it gave him a headache and nothing was there. Trying to figure out how to explain it just made his head throb even more, so he stopped. 

Panic settled into his muscles and his breathing quickened. He felt lost and alone. Where even was he? Where was Ana? Gabe? Angela? Just as he was about to yell out for help or if anyone was there, a worried voice flooded his ears.

“Jack. Calm down, it’s okay. You’re safe,” he immediately recognized the voice. It belonged to their lead doctor on the team, Mercy. Her real name was Angela Ziegler, Mercy was just her call sign. Relief washed over him within moments and his breathing stabilized. 

“Angela… Where are you?” Jack extended his arm towards nothing in particular; he hoped it was skyward bound. A smaller hand slowly held his and the doctor drew closer. “I’m right here, Commander. You’re safe. You’re in the medical bay.”

He let out a heavy sigh. He could feel himself blinking, but still, he could not see Angela. “You haven’t told anyone, have you?”

The doctor remained silent for a few moments before answering, “No. No one knows except you and me.” 

“Good.” 

“I’ll be right back, Jack,” Angela murmured. “I need to fetch you a cool rag.”   
The Strike Commander just nodded and let out another heavy exhale. He focused his attention on the footsteps that faded away after a few seconds. She had left the room. 

Jack lay there, just listening to the noises around him. He swore he could hear things he would’ve never had heard before. He no longer had to depend on his sight to inspect his surroundings. His ears perked like a feline’s; he was able to detect the tiniest sound, like the bed creaking beneath him. 

Louder, heavier footsteps made Jack’s head turn towards the doorway. They didn’t belong to Angela. Somehow, they sounded familiar, but he wasn’t sure who they belonged to. 

“Angela?” he quipped. 

A deep and gruff laugh startled him. Jack tensed, his breath catching in his throat. “Gabi.” 

He could sense Reyes coming closer to his bedside. Jack heard the squeak of a chair being dragged across the tile. Gabe had sat down in a rusty chair beside the blind man. 

“That’s me.” 

Jack felt his scarred lips tug up into a smile. “I’m glad you’re alive,” he murmured, despite the fact that he himself was the one closest to death’s cold embrace. 

Gabriel smiled sadly at him for a few moments. Jack’s eyes were trained on him, but they seemed distant and far away. The once mesmerizing blue gaze was now a milky silver. If Gabe looked hard enough, he could still see the flecks of blue in Morrison’s clouded eyes. 

Jack suddenly turned his head away, scowling. “Don’t look at me. Angela is an incredible surgeon, but she… She can’t fix everything.” 

Gabe blinked a few times. He then respected his wishes and stared at his boots.   
“You mean the gashes and the scars?” 

Jack closed his eyes carefully. “Yes.” 

“You mean your eyes?”

“Yes.” 

Gabriel bit his lip and thought to himself. “Well… You haven’t seen yourself. You don’t look that bad-“

Jack suddenly whipped back around towards Gabe and grit his teeth. “Don’t. I know what I look like. I still have hands, idiot!” 

Hurt, Gabe just stared at him for a few moments. “I.. I’m sorry, Jackie. I didn’t mean to come off as rude,” he sighed out. 

With a huff, Jack crossed his arms over his chest and fixed his eyes on Gabe, despite being unable to actually see him. “Yeah. You should be.” 

Gabriel clenched his jaw and bit back a remark. He deserved that one. 

Angela saved the awkward silence by entering the room again with a cool rag.   
“Oh, hello Gabriel. Did you get enough sleep and rest?” 

“Yeah. Thanks,” he muttered his reply. 

She tended to Jack while keeping her eyes trained on Gabe whenever she could. The medic gently placed the cool rag over the wounded commander’s forehead. 

Immediately, Jack let out a pleased sigh. It dulled his headache and cooled him off both mentally and physically. “Thank you, Angela.” 

Questions and issues arose in Jack’s mind all at once as the situation sunk in. He was blind. Overwatch’s leader couldn’t be blind. Jack had to be in the public’s eye. No one wanted to see an ugly, scarred, and weak Strike Commander. He wouldn’t even be able to enter the battlefield. 

He was useless now.


	6. All Eyes On Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry its been awhile!! writer's block :v   
> im on spring break now, so maybe ill get another chapter out.

Jack’s condition was worse than Angela first thought. It had been a few days since the incident and he was still struggling to get out of bed. 

As the Strike Commander was healing, Gabriel was taking care of the missions and tasks at hand. Ana was helping out with paperwork and meetings with UN officials. Keeping Jack’s position on the down low proved more difficult than Angela expected. 

The public questioned why the commander wasn’t picking up his calls or why he wasn’t present at meetings. They began to grow suspicious; conspiracies and rumors began to spread like wildfire and Jack was not happy about it. 

It was even more difficult for Angela to keep it a secret from Blackwatch’s lead medic and geneticist, Moira O’Deorain. She would be constantly snooping around the medical bay, her eyes narrowed into slits. It was as if she could smell the fear radiating off of Dr. Ziegler. 

For now, Moira was nowhere to be seen and Angela needed to speak with Jack. She slipped into the back room and shut the door quietly behind her. The sound of soft snoring was filling the room and Angela felt a pang of guilt when she gazed over the wounded Strike Commander. He was asleep, but it wouldn’t last long. Nightmares plagued his mind every night and Angela knew this. 

She would watch from the doorway as Jack tossed and turned in his sleep, yelling out for someone who wasn’t there. Angela did not wake him during these times. She wasn’t sure how to comfort him, but someone else did.

Angela would remain perched in the doorway, spectating as Jack continued to suffer through his nightmares. Gabriel sat by his bedside every night, no matter how tired he got. When the other got riled up and restless, Gabe would carefully grab his hand and murmur a lullaby under his breath.

Dr. Ziegler was surprised the first night Commander Reyes did this. She couldn’t understand the words he was murmuring to Jack, as they were in a language she did not recognize, but she felt the impact of tranquility and safety from his tone. A small smile had tugged at her lips. Jack fell back into a peaceful slumber almost instantaneously. 

At the crack of dawn, Gabriel would depart and Jack wouldn’t remember a thing. 

With a sigh, she gently placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder and gave it a careful shake. “Jack… I need to talk to you.” 

A groan escaped the blond’s lips and he attempted to turn away from Angela’s hand and voice. 

“Jack.” 

“Fine,” he grumbled. Carefully, the man propped himself up with a small wince of pain. “What is it, Angela?”

Even when his clouded eyes seemed so distant, she could feel them boring into her. Clearing her throat, she averted her gaze. “We need to discuss your position.”

The silence was her only answer for a few moments. 

“What about it?” Jack replied dryly, biting down on his lip. 

Dr. Ziegler sighed. “Commander Reyes and I have been discussing whether or not you should remain Strike Commander,” before he could bite back a remark, she pressed on, “Jack, you are not in a good state. Your nanites are struggling to keep up with the healing process and your body needs time to readjust. You still need to go through physical therapy and… possibly psychological therapy. You are in no shape to lead right now.” 

Jack clenched his jaw. “I am perfectly fine with keeping my position, thank you very much. I don’t need to stay in bed any longer. Overwatch needs me right now.”

Angela quickly fired back. “No, Jack. I need you right now. We all do. And the only way that you’ll get better is if you heal properly. You haven’t even tried maneuvering around yet! How are you even imagining that you’ll be able to lead Overwatch onto the battlefield whilst being blind?” He words were harsh but struck truth into his heart. 

Jack quieted down. “I’m not giving up my position. Not yet,” he murmured. “I will get better.” 

Dr. Ziegler sighed heavily and shook her head. “You’re only going to hurt yourself, in the long run, Jack. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.”  
She huffed and spun on her heel, stalking out of the room and shutting the door behind her. 

The Strike Commander tried to stand. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and carefully placed his feet on the ground. Jack felt numb and foreign as if he didn’t know how to take a step forward. His ribs ached with every uneasy step he took towards the window.   
Gripping his side, the blond limped to the windowsill and leaned against it. Jack recognized that he was looking out of a window, but he didn’t know where in the room he was. 

“Jackie.” 

Gabriel’s voice startled him, causing the blind man to turn and stare in his direction. 

“Why aren’t you in bed?” the Blackwatch Commander questioned, tipping his head to the side. He could tell Jack was getting antsy. 

The other huffed in frustration. “I don’t want to just sit here! I need to be fighting with my team!” Jack’s voice strained, having a hard time with breathing steadily. 

Gabe sighed softly and a sad smile hinted at his lips. “You never were a patient man, were you, Sunshine?” he asked rhetorically. He advanced forward, gently placing his hands on Jack’s shoulders. 

“Listen to me, Boy Scout. You need to rest. I understand that you want to get back out there, but… You can hardly breathe at the moment. Because I… Because I care about you, I’m not letting you leave until you heal to an adequate state,” Gabriel said firmly, but in a hushed tone. 

Jack sighed reluctantly but agreed after a minute or two of silence between the two.   
“Fine. I’ll rest.” 

The blond could practically hear the smile in Gabe’s voice. 

“Good. Now go back to bed,” he advised, gently leading Morrison to the hospital bed. 

Jack found himself yawning, curling back up in the slightly uncomfortable covers. “Thanks, Gabi.” 

The other man made his way to the door, pausing before he left. “Anytime, Jackie,” Gabe said before he departed, shutting the door behind him with a soft ‘click.’

**Author's Note:**

> ghhhhh  
> i hope this lasts a lil longer than my usual fics.  
> let me know in a comment if you're enjoying it so far and what your thoughts/ideas/suggestions are!~ <3


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